The United Naga Council (UNC) announced on Saturday that it would suspend its nearly four‑month economic blockade of Manipur’s national highways following a meeting in Guwahati.
The tripartite meeting took place at the BSF Guwahati Frontier headquarters in Garbhanga, near Guwahati, and brought together officials from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Manipur government and leaders of the UNC, according to a senior Manipur Home Department official.
UNC president N.G. Lorho said the council had agreed to suspend the blockade effective from 6 p.m. Saturday, expressing appreciation for the cooperation and solidarity shown by all parties during the agitation.
The blockade, imposed in May after six Naga civilians were kidnapped from Leilon Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district, had heavily disrupted the Imphal‑Jiribam (NH‑37) and Imphal‑Dimapur (NH‑2) highways, raising prices and hampering the flow of essential goods and fuel.
The meeting in Guwahati is viewed as a key step toward restoring normalcy and fostering wider peace‑building in Manipur, following months of agitation over the abduction and killing of the six civilians.
With the blockade lifted, the state expects smoother movement of commodities and supplies along the two major highways, which are vital links between Manipur and neighboring states and the rest of the country.
